2022 camp registration
Registration for 2022 Summer Programming is now open! You may register online or print out a registration form and mail it to the Diocesan Office: 408 N. Jefferson Ave. Pierre, SD 57501.
For questions about registration, please contact Mother Lydia at lydia@episcopalchurchsd.org.
Now Hiring: 2022 Summer Staff!
Thunderhead Episcopal Center is hiring counselors for the 2022 summer camp season. To apply to be a counselor, please click here. For more information, contact Mother Lydia Simmons, TEC Program Director, at lydia@episcopalchurchsd.org.
Requirements for Camp Counselors
A commitment to the Christian faith and a willingness to live out your faith in word and action.
A willingness to teach campers in ways that are consistent with the teachings of The Episcopal Church. (You don't need to be a member of The Episcopal Church to be a counselor, but you have to be willing to uphold the official teaching of the church.)
A desire to work in the outdoors and to make campers the number one priority for the summer.
A willingness to become First Aid and CPR certified (training provided during staff training at camp; no additional cost to you!)
Ability to use positive behavior management techniques with campers and an ability to adapt to difficult situations with a sense of maturity, safety, tact, and poise.
Willingness and ability to perform a wide variety of functions and help wherever is needed. You've got to be a team player!
A high school graduate and a minimum of 18 years old.
Ability to stay for the whole summer season (this is a firm requirement! We schedule breaks in, but you need to be present at camp from May 29 until July 31.)
Open Position:
Assistant Program Director
The Assistant Program Director is responsible for assisting with the development, coordination, management and implementation of Thunderhead Episcopal Center’s summer camp program which is the flagship formation ministry of the Diocese of South Dakota. The Assistant Program Director is responsible for the safety of all camp staff in the absence of the Program Director or the Canon for Formation. The Assistant Program Director should enjoy leading large groups of campers and be equipped to aid counselors in carrying out their duties. This person should be a good communicator and a good listener. The Assistant Program Director should be creative and energetic and be able to juggle multiple tasks at once while holding camper experience as a priority. The Assistant Program Director should be able to articulate a mature Christian faith consistent with the doctrine, worship, and discipline of The Episcopal Church. To see the full job description, please click here.
For more information, or to set up an interview, please contact the Rev. Canon Cody Maynus.
A little history about Thunderhead
In the mid-1960’s the Diocese of South Dakota purchased a former dude ranch in the Black Hills for church camp use. In its fourth summer, a brochure for the camp stated:
“The camp was purchased and set up with the principle in mind that in camping we come closer to nature, and thereby discover the mighty works of God. The camping experiences give young people the opportunity of living in a Christian Community and help them discover for themselves who they are in a relationship to God and each other. The activities center around daily worship.”
Nearly five decades later, the purpose and mission of the camp remain the same. Located in the Black Hills, about 20 miles south of Lead/Deadwood, young people who attend are invited to participate in an “experiment” in living in Intentional Christian Community. Campers explore what it looks like, and what it means, to live in close quarters loving one another.
Each day begins and ends with worship, and this rhythm provides the backbone for the rest of the day. Using the Book of Common Prayer, and the style of the Taize Community, the worship incorporates meditative singing in a number of different languages, including Lakota. Each worship service also has a significant time of silence. Through silence, we listen more deeply to God’s voice speaking in and through each of us.
Another way that camp fosters love for each member of the community, and listening faithfully, is in being present to one another. Because of this emphasis, campers turn in all electronic devices upon arrival at camp (cell phones, iPods, Kindles, etc.). Electronics are returned to campers once a day during free time, yet the overall absence of such devices creates a more relational atmosphere with those present.
Every year, the camp community works toward loving one another while engaging hearts and minds to look for God working in our everyday world. Together, in community, campers explore God’s amazing capability to work both inside and outside the church.
2022 Thunderhead Season
Work Weekend
May 27-29
Staff Training
May 29-June 4
11th-12th Grades
June 5-11
9th-10th Grades
June 12-18
All Camp Reunion!
June 30-July 3
all former counselors, campers, and program staff welcome!
7th-8th Grades
July 10-16
5th-6th Grades
July 17-21
Family Camp
July 24-27